In the Loop Story Slam

No open mic in the Twin Cities features as high a level of artistic polish as the Story Slams hosted by NPR's In the Loop. Maybe the idea of having a half-assed performance aired on the radio scares away the riffraff, or maybe the slam just has the prestige to draw a higher caliber of storyteller. Either way, it's always a blast, with stories on subjects ranging from mid-graffiti run-ins with the police to aw-shucks recollections of kitten wrangling. Hosted by the always-affable Jeff Horwich, this slam has a raft of great celebrity guests from the local spoken-word scene, including rapper and slam poet El Guante and storyteller and playwright Rik Reppe. This month's theme, "Festive Indigestion," has a lot of potential for creative (and possibly disturbing) interpretation; the new location at the Lab Theater promises a quieter, more focused experience than the Bedlam's dinner-theater feel. Just make sure to get your tickets early. In addition to being the Cities' best open mic, it's also probably the only one that sells out. For registration information go to www.mpr.org/storyslam.
Wed., Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m., 2008